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James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849) was the 11th President of the United States (1845–1849). Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.〔(James Knox Polk ) from PresidentialAvenue.com〕 He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 13th Speaker of the House of Representatives (1835–1839) and Governor of Tennessee (1839–1841). Polk was the surprise (dark horse) candidate for president in 1844, defeating Henry Clay of the rival Whig Party by promising to annex Texas. Polk was a leader of Jacksonian Democracy during the Second Party System. His nickname was "Young Hickory" because of his close association with "Old Hickory", Andrew Jackson. Polk is often considered the last strong pre–Civil War president, and he is the earliest of whom surviving photographs were taken during a term in office. Many scholars and historians have commented on his interventionist foreign policy; he threatened war with the United Kingdom over the issue of which nation owned the Oregon Country, then backed away and split the ownership of the region with the UK. When Mexico rejected American annexation of Texas, Polk also led the nation to a sweeping victory in the Mexican–American War, which gave the United States most of its present Southwest. He secured passage of the Walker tariff of 1846, which had low rates that pleased his native South, and he established a treasury system that lasted until 1913. Polk oversaw the opening of the U.S. Naval Academy and the Smithsonian Institution, the groundbreaking for the Washington Monument, and the issuance of the first postage stamps in the United States. He promised to serve only one term and did not run for reelection. He died of cholera three months after his term ended. Polk is the only president to have served as House Speaker.〔James Polk. (History of the Presidents ), retrieved November 16, 2015.〕 Scholars have ranked him favorably on lists of greatest presidents for his ability to promote, obtain support for, and achieve all of the major items on his presidential agenda. Polk has been called the "least known consequential president"〔(The Overlooked President ) from TheDailyBeast.com〕 of the United States. ==Early life== James Knox Polk, the first of ten children, was born on November 2, 1795 in a farmhouse (possibly a log cabin)〔 in what is now Pineville, North Carolina in Mecklenburg County, just outside Charlotte.〔 His father, Samuel Polk, was a slaveholder, successful farmer and surveyor of Scots-Irish descent. His mother, Jane Polk (née Knox), was a descendant of a brother of the Scottish religious reformer John Knox. She named her firstborn after her father James Knox.〔Borneman, p. 6〕 Like most early Scots-Irish settlers in the North Carolina mountains, the Knox and Polk families were Presbyterian. While Jane remained a devout Presbyterian her entire life, Samuel (whose father, Ezekiel Polk, was a deist) rejected dogmatic Presbyterianism. When the parents took James to church to be baptized, the father Samuel refused to declare his belief in Christianity, and the minister refused to baptize the child.〔Borneman, Walter R., ''Polk, The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America'' (Random House, 2008), p. 6〕〔Haynes, pp. 4–6.〕 In 1803, most of Polk's relatives moved to the Duck River area in what is now Maury County, Middle Tennessee; Polk's family waited until 1806 to follow.〔Borneman p. 7〕 The family grew prosperous, with Samuel Polk turning to land speculation and becoming a county judge.〔 Polk was home schooled.〔 His health was problematic and in 1812 his pain became so unbearable that he was taken to Dr. Ephraim McDowell of Danville, Kentucky, who operated to remove urinary stones.〔Borneman p. 8〕 Polk was awake during the operation with nothing but brandy available for anesthetic, but it was successful. The surgery may have left Polk sterile, as he did not sire any children.〔Seigenthaler p. 19〕 When Polk recovered, his father offered to bring him into the mercantile business, but Polk refused.〔 In July 1813, Polk enrolled at the Zion Church near his home. A year later he attended an academy in Murfreesboro, where he may have met his future wife, Sarah Childress.〔Borneman p. 13〕 At Murfreesboro, Polk proved a promising student. In January 1816, he transferred and was admitted into the University of North Carolina as a second-semester sophomore. The Polks had connections with the university, then a small school of about 80 students: Sam Polk was their land agent for Tennessee, and his cousin, William Polk, was a trustee.〔Haynes p.11.〕 While there, Polk joined the Dialectic Society where he regularly took part in debates and learned the art of oratory. His roommate William Dunn Moseley later became the first governor of Florida. Polk graduated with honors in May 1818.〔Borneman p. 8–9〕 The University later named the lower quad on its main campus, Polk Place.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=History )〕 After graduation, Polk traveled to Nashville to study law under renowned Nashville trial attorney Felix Grundy.〔Borneman p. 10〕 Grundy became Polk's first mentor. On September 20, 1819, Polk, with Grundy's endorsement, was elected clerk for the Tennessee State Senate.〔Borneman p. 11〕 Polk was reelected as clerk in 1821 without opposition, and would continue to serve until 1822. Polk was admitted to the bar in June 1820 and his first case was to defend his father against a public fighting charge, and secure his release for a one dollar fine.〔 Polk's practice was successful as there were many cases arising from debts after the Panic of 1819.〔Seigenthaler p.24〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「James K. Polk」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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